Might be a decent passer of the ball but Matip has been defensively all over the place for a while now, can't believe I'm saying it but surely Lovren has to get the nod over him on Saturday.
As much as Lovren gets stick it was Matip that looked the poorer of the two against Porto.
Think it was Matip that took the ball out of Karius' hands at one point.
2 players that will change things for Utd v LFC.
Salah. He changed the dimension of play when he came on v Porto.
Every time the ball was near him he seemed to come out with it, like velcro.
Big Virgil. Porto, a lot like Utd, played with 2 banks of 4 and moved like a wave from one side of the pitch to the next.
So many times Firmino was sat out wide on his own and a long diagonal ball would have opened up Porto,
yet Matip and Lovren would pass back along to each other and by the time the play was switched "the wave"
had moved to cover Firmino. A quick diagonal ball would have stopped that. Didn't happen against Porto.
Virgil should change that.
Another thing missing v Porto was a late runner into the box, some pressure from midfield.
A few times the forwards fought to win a ball only to have the chance wasted because nobody anticipated that.
Salah being in the Front 3 will change that, but I also think Ox playing would also change that as he is quite
aggressive and direct.
I don't think Gomez had a great game either tbh and would like to see Trent back in against Utd.
Karius
TAA Lovren Virgil Robertson
Can
AOC Milner
Salah Firmino Mane
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